HenryWSC 15

Matthew Henry’s Westminster Shorter Catechism Commentary on Question 15

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Did our first parents eat the forbidden fruit? Yes: Thou hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it,
Gen. 3:17
. Was their doing so disobedience? Yes: for it was by one man’s disobedience that many were made sinners,
Rom. 5:19
. Did the woman eat forbidden fruit first? Yes: the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Tim. 2:14
. Did the serpent tempt her to it? Yes: the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty,
2 Cor. 11:3
. Was that serpent the devil? Yes: The old serpent is the devil and Satan?
Rev. 20:2
. Did he aim to make man as miserable as himself? Yes: he was a murderer from the beginning,
John 8:44
.
Did the tempter teach them to question the command? Yes: he said to the woman, Hath God said ye shall not eat?
Gen. 3:1
. Did he promise them safety in sin? Yes: he said, Ye shall not surely die,
Gen. 3:4
. Did he promise them advantage by the sin? Yes: In the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, ver. 5. Did he feed them with high thoughts of themselves? Yes: Ye shall be as gods, ver. 5. Did he suggest to them hard thoughts of God? Yes: for he said, God doth know this, ver. 5. Did Eve do well to parley with him? No: for we should cease to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge,
Prov. 19:27
.
Did the devil prevail in the temptation? Yes: for she took of the fruit, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat,
Gen. 3:6
. Was there in this sin the lust of the flesh? Yes: for she saw that the tree was good for food. Was there in it the lust of the eye? Yes: for she saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. And the pride of life? Yes: for she saw it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. Was unbelief of the word of God at the bottom of it? Yes: It is the evil heart of unbelief that departs from the living God,
Heb. 3:12
. Was there in it an opposition to the divine law? Yes: for sin took occasion by the commandment,
Rom. 7:8
. Was disobedience in a small matter a great provocation? Yes: for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is iniquity and idolatry,
1 Sam. 15:23
. If Adam fell thus, have we any reason to be secure? No: Wherefore let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall,
1 Cor. 10:12
.
HenryWSC 15